James Kiernan, center, from Queens leaves Albany City Court with his attorney James Long, right, and his mother following a hearing on his case pertaining to the kegs and eggs riot that took place in Albany. Kiernan was seen in the videos of the riot as playing the bag pipes on top of the hood of a car. Kiernan was sentenced to 250 hours of community service and $995.66 in restitution. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union) less

James Kiernan, center, from Queens leaves Albany City Court with his attorney James Long, right, and his mother following a hearing on his case pertaining to the kegs and eggs riot that took place in Albany. ... more

Photo: Paul Buckowski

Image 6 of 9

James Kiernan, right, from Queens leaves Albany City Court with his attorney James Long following a hearing on his case pertaining to the kegs and eggs riot that took place in Albany. Kiernan was seen in the videos of the riot as playing the bag pipes on top of the hood of a car. Kiernan was sentenced to 250 hours of community service and $995.66 in restitution. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union) less

James Kiernan, right, from Queens leaves Albany City Court with his attorney James Long following a hearing on his case pertaining to the kegs and eggs riot that took place in Albany. Kiernan was seen in the ... more

Photo: Paul Buckowski

Image 7 of 9

James Kiernan, right, from Queens leaves Albany City Court with his attorney James Long following a hearing on his case pertaining to the kegs and eggs riot that took place in Albany. Kiernan was seen in the videos of the riot as playing the bag pipes on top of the hood of a car. Kiernan was sentenced to 250 hours of community service and $995.66 in restitution. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union) less

James Kiernan, right, from Queens leaves Albany City Court with his attorney James Long following a hearing on his case pertaining to the kegs and eggs riot that took place in Albany. Kiernan was seen in the ... more

Photo: Paul Buckowski

Image 8 of 9

James Kiernan, right, from Queens leaves Albany City Court with his attorney James Long, center, and his mother following a hearing on his case pertaining to the kegs and eggs riot that took place in Albany. Kiernan was seen in the videos of the riot as playing the bag pipes on top of the hood of a car. Kiernan was sentenced to 250 hours of community service and $995.66 in restitution. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union) less

James Kiernan, right, from Queens leaves Albany City Court with his attorney James Long, center, and his mother following a hearing on his case pertaining to the kegs and eggs riot that took place in Albany. ... more

Photo: Paul Buckowski

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This time, it's piper who'll pay

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ALBANY -- James Kiernan was six credits away from earning a degree at the University at Albany.

Then he decided to play bagpipes and jump on cars during the infamous "kegs and eggs" melee in Pine Hills on March 12.

So now, Kiernan, 21, will spend the next year not at UAlbany, from which he was expelled, but performing 250 hours of community service in Queens, where he lives. He also had to pay $995 in restitution.

That was the result of his sentencing Tuesday in City Court, which followed his guilty plea to criminal mischief, a misdemeanor, before Judge Thomas Keefe. The offense carries, at most, one year in jail.

Kiernan had been charged with rioting and felony criminal mischief charges carrying 11/3 to 4 years in prison.

The case was prosecuted by Michael Mansion, a private attorney used as a special prosecutor. Kiernan declined comment as he exited City Court, joined by his mother and his attorney, James Long.

Kiernan was far less shy during the melee, when he donned a kilt and played bagpipes, which authorities said helped fire up a rowdy crowd of revelers when a group of house parties devolved into a near-riot the day of the city's St. Patrick's Day parade.

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He was captured on video -- later widely circulated on the Internet -- playing the bagpipes at the circus-like chaos on Hudson Avenue. He was among defendants charged with everything from rioting to assaulting a police officer.

Kiernan, who jumped on and dented the roofs of cars, was one of the first people arrested after police broke up the free-for-all. City police responded to the parties near the intersection of Ontario Street at 7:15 a.m. and found several hundred students in the street, drinking alcohol and destroying property.

Prior to his arrest, Kiernan was identified as an "outstanding" member of the Albany Police Pipes and Drums band, which is not affiliated with the city Police Department.

The band's pipe major, Daniel Cole, told the Times Union in March that Kiernan had not showed up for practices in about a year -- and he was hoping to reach him to get back his equipment and kilt.